Vancouver & Surrounding Area

Stanley Park is a public park at the northwestern edge of downtown Vancouver, a 20-minute stroll from our hotel. The waterfront cycling and pedestrian path, the Seawall, circumnavigates the park in a 10km loop, taking in views of the North Shore mountains, the Lions Gate Bridge, and scenic Lost Lagoon. Stanley Park includes roughly 500,000 cedar, fir and hemlock trees—beaches and a public pool, a rose garden, and nine totem poles at Brockton Point.

Scenic Gastown, Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood, is a 15-minute stroll from the conference hotel. A national historic site with a steam-powered clock at its heart, cobblestone-lined Gastown is home to contemporary fashion and interior furnishing boutiques, independent art galleries, restaurants, pubs, and newly upscale housing. Popular annual events that take place on the streets of Gastown include the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix international bicycle race.

Granville Island is a hidden gem for local chefs, live music fans, and families. Featuring a public market that also sells gourmet cheeses, pastries, smoked salmon, fudge, and other specialty foods, Granville Island is also home to local theatres, fine arts galleries, and a brewery and distillery. The Eagle Spirit Gallery and the Wickaninnish Gallery are two of the best-loved stores in Vancouver that specialize in Indigenous Canadian art and jewelry.

The Urban Aboriginal Fair Trade Gallery (Skwachàys Lodge) is Canada’s first Aboriginal Arts Hotel and has diligently worked to provide guests with first-class services and a platform to showcase local Indigenous art and culture. At the street level, the Urban Aboriginal Fair Trade Gallery features Indigenous artwork which includes original paintings, framed limited edition prints, jewelry, pottery, wood carvings, giftware and so much more, purchasing most of its original work from local artists.”

Founded in 1931, the Vancouver Art Gallery is recognized as one of North America’s most respected and innovative visual arts institutions. The Gallery’s innovative ground-breaking exhibitions, extensive public programs and emphasis on advancing scholarship all focus on the historical and contemporary art of British Columbia and international centres, with special attention to the accomplishments of First Nations artists and the art of the Asia Pacific region­—through the Institute of Asian Art founded in 2014. The Gallery’s programs also explore the impacts of images in the larger sphere of visual culture, design and architecture.

A 15-minute drive from the downtown core, the peak of Grouse Mountain can be accessed via an 8-minute gondola ride. The Skyride gondola takes visitors over the tips of Douglas fir trees, offering visitors a panoramic view of the local mountains, with the city and Pacific Ocean below. More adventurous sports can climb the 2.9km “Grouse Grind,” a trail nicknamed “Nature’s Stairmaster” thanks to its challenging 30-degree climb.

On the way to Grouse—or by taking the free shuttle bus from downtown—visitors can stop at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, a 140m pedestrian bridge that hangs 70m above the Capilano River. Crossing the wobbly bridge provides visitors with access to local forest walks and trails, and knowledgeable staff and interpretive signage help visitors to discover the natural and cultural history of the north shore of Vancouver.

Bloedel Conservatory is a domed lush paradise located in Queen Elizabeth Park atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point. More than 100 exotic birds, and 500 exotic plants and flowers thrive within its temperature-controlled environment.

Vancouver has one of the largest Chinatowns in the world. It was designated as a national historic site in 2011. It features the beautiful Millenium Gate, Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, and many vibrant businesses and restaurants. 

VanDusen Botanical Garden is a 55-acre oasis in the heart of Vancouver with over 8,000 plant species and varieties from around the world! Spot and photograph local wildlife, find your way through an Elizabethan hedge maze, unwind in a serene setting, dine on the patios of Truffles Cafe or Shaughnessy Restaurant, or browse the garden-themed gift shop. VanDusen has something for everyone to enjoy!

A 125km drive along the scenic Sea to Sky Highway is BC’s most popular alpine destination, Whistler Mountain. Whistler’s pedestrian village is home to pubs and restaurants. In the summer, visitors can take the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain. The Scandinave Spa offers a European-style bathhouse experience, with hot and cold plunge pools, and wet and dry saunas. Finally, Whistler’s Audain Art Museum—winner of the 2018 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture—houses the art of British Columbia from the 18th Century to the present.